The Myth of Bake Sales as a Viable Fundraising Tool

The notion among the general public that nonprofits should be able to operate successfully while maintaining absolutely bare-bones operations is not only annoying, says a California SPCA official, it is also dangerous. Writing in the Palm Springs Desert Sun, Fred Saunders offers a very cogent reason why:

These are misconceptions that hinder the growth of the organization and become obstacles to achievement of the organization’s mission. The nonprofit organization must be run as if it were a serious business if it is to be successful and continue to exist in a competitive market. To do this, the notion that a nonprofit group should not make a profit needs to be dispelled.

Saunders goes on to conduct that dispelling with five points that make the case for a business-oriented outlook for the sector. With respect to the paragraph above, these two points from his column bear repeating here:

• Dependable and knowledgeable staff must be paid livable salaries and benefits.
• Money must be spent on resources that help meet the organization’s mission.

It’s worth reading to digest all of Saunders’s points and to absorb his pragmatic, forward-thinking worldview. | 501(c)